The invention described herein pertains to a sulky for a self-propelled lawn mower for carrying an operator in a standing position safely behind the mower, thus eliminating the need for the operator to walk behind the mower, and more particularly, a sulky for carrying a standing operator such that the operator may remain on the sulky platform even while operating the mower through a sharp turn or operating the mower in reverse.
Devices for attachment to self-propelled power lawn mowers, allowing a standing operator to be carried with the mower, have been in use for many years. An early example may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,955,835 issued Oct. 11, 1960 to Choumnard. The apparatus, typically called a "sulky", consists of a platform mounted between two wheels that is connected to the mower by a tow bar. Choumnard's tow bar is connected to the mower by a universal joint allowing the sulky to move in all directions relative to the mower during operation. Another sulky apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,1991 to Velke; it employs a platform covering a single wheel located between foot plates for the operator's feet. The platform is pivotally connected to one end of the tow bar along a vertical axis, allowing free rotation of the platform horizontally. The other end of the tow bar is pivotally connected to the mower along a horizontal axis to allow the platform and tow bar to move up and down with respect to the mower. Still another sulky apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,364 issued May. 9, 1995 to Hafendorfer; this sulky provides another pivoting action as it permits the sulky to pivot about an axis that is aligned with the length of the tow bar. Pivoting of the sulky about this axis permits the sulky to accommodate uneven ground.
None of the sulky apparatus typified by the above references addresses the problem of severe horizontal rotation of the sulky with respect to the mowers where the steering mechanism, generally in the form of handlebars extending back from the mower, can impact the operator standing on the sulky platform. Additionally, the sulkies that have the ability to pivot out of the plane of the mower, as described in the aforementioned patent to Hafendorfer, do not adequately resolve the matter of too much pivoting of the sulky away from the plane of the mower, pivoting that could result in the dislodgement of the operator or overturn of the entire sulky.
It is a paramount object of the present invention to provide for a sulky apparatus that minimizes the problem of jackknifing and/or impact of the handlebars and operator.
It is still another important object of the present invention to provide for a sulky apparatus that permits the sulky to pivot relative to the mower plane but minimizes the risk of the sulky overturning.
Other important objects will become clear to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the description accompanied by the appended drawings.